God With Us
“If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safely to my father’s family, then the Lord will be my God.”
In Genesis 28 Jacob is on his way to his uncle’s house. He had recently agreed to his mother’s plan to steal his older brother’s blessing. His older brother, Esau, now was plotting to kill him when their father passes away. His mother convinced Issac, the father, to send Jacob to this uncle to marry one of his daughters instead of a woman from the nations around them.
One night as he was traveling Jacob had a dream. In the dream, God extends the covenant He initiated with Abraham to Jacob.
Genesis 28:13-14,15 “I will give you and your offspring the land in which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth…. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised.”
This is what Jacob’s statement was in response to. “If you do what you say you will, you will be my God.”
Now Jacob’s journey does NOT go perfectly.
He finds a gorgeous woman who happens to be the daughter of Laban, his uncle.
Genesis 28:20 So Jacob worked 7 years for Rachel, and they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. (What do you mean not perfect this is so romantic!?)
It turns out, his mom “didn’t fall far from the tree”. His uncle was also a schemer and duped Jacob into marrying his older daughter, Leah.
Genesis 29:27 “Complete this wedding celebration, and we will also give you this younger one (Rachel) in return for working yet another 7 years for me.” It then goes on for 24 verses describing how unhealthy this dynamic was for all 3 of them.
Several years passed and Jacob desired to go home.
Genesis 30:29-30 So Jacob said to him, “You know how I have served you and how your herds have fared with me. For you had very little before I came, but now your wealth has increased. The Lord has blessed you because of me. And now, when will I do something for my own family?”
Now his uncle didn’t want him to leave because of the very blessings he had benefitted from, because of Jacob. To get him to stay he offered to pay him for his work.
Time passes and tension starts to increase between Jacob and his in-laws.
Genesis 31:6,9 “You know that with all my strength I have served your father and that he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God has not let him harm me…God has taken away your father’s herds and given them to me.”
God makes it clear that His blessings were always meant for Jacob.
Genesis 31:12-13 “I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. I am the God of Bethel, where you poured oil on the stone marker and made a solemn vow to me. Get up, leave this land, and return to your native land.”
Through the mess and imperfection, the sin, God was still there. God does not promise us perfect lives. He promises to be with us. Jesus died for that very reason, and if we accept that, we can receive His presence inside of us, God with us always.
Even knowing God was with him, Jacob was scared of his mission. He was afraid even after God sent angels to meet him on his way home. As he drew closer and closer to Esau, the what-ifs grew louder and louder.
Genesis 32:9-12 Then Jacob said, “God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the Lord who said to me, ‘Go back to your land and to your family, and I will cause you to prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. Indeed, I crossed over the Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two camps. Please rescue me from my brothers Esau, for I am afraid of him; otherwise, he may come and attack me, the mothers, and their children, You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper and will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to be counted.’”
In his fear, he makes plans to win favor with his brother. He sends him tons of gifts and positions himself at the end of this procession and after his family, so if something happens he would have the biggest chance to escape.
While alone something interesting and peculiar happens.
Genesis 32:24-30 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not defeat him, he struck Jacob’s hip. Then he said to Jacob, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.
“But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
“What is your name?” the man asked.
“Jacob,” he replied.
“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” he said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”
Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.”
But he answered, “Why do you ask my name?” And he blessed him there.
Jacob then named the place Peniel (Face of God), “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “yet my life has been spared.”
It can be so easy for me to get caught up in the imperfect. To let it draw me in and hinder me from seeing how God is moving. Yet when I take those imperfect things to God and openly wrestle with Him things change. How beautiful it is that he willingly wrestles back and when the timing is right, humbles me, reveals His blessings, continues to bless me, and leaves me in awe and wonder of our magnificent creator who chose to spare us, to save us, and to live with us.
Thank you, Lord!
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